A first-of-its-kind initiative to help coastal communities unlock the long-term ecological and economic value of protecting the marine space ‘in their backyard’ has been launched this week, with the overarching mission to drive forward the race to protect 30% of the global ocean by the end of the decade.

Revive Our Ocean is a global campaign led by the non-governmental organisation, Dynamic Planet alongside the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas programme established to help local communities in their collective efforts to establish ‘marine protected areas’ within their coastal waters.

The initiative aims to harness the global ambition to protect at least 30% of the ocean environment by the end of 2030 and expedite its endeavour. While nearly every country worldwide has agreed to the 30×30 commitment, the truth is only eight percent of the ocean is currently under any kind of protection.

To meet the urgent challenge, Revive Our Ocean is a ‘first-of-its-kind’ programme pioneering a model that by supporting leading organisations that have created effective community-led marine reserves, inspires, enables, and equips coastal communities to “protect their ocean backyard” and ensure the long-term ecological and economic regeneration “to drive change at a critical moment.”

Kristin Rechberger, founder of Revive Our Ocean and ceo of Dynamic Planet, said: “Despite overexploitation, the ocean has an incredible ability to recover – if we take action now. To meet the 30×30 goal, we need to quadruple ocean protection in the next five years. Now we need all coastal communities in the world to create their own marine protected areas, because they work for everyone and can also be a good business.”

The initiative will focus initially on seven countries – the United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Philippines, and Indonesia and hopes to offer a solution to overfishing and climate change to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.

It will look to equip leaders and local communities with a practical set of proven tools, including a step-by-step “MPA How-To” guide and access to a global network of top marine protection experts. It will also seek to dispel the depiction of MPAs as anchors weighing down local and national economies.

A recent study of MPAs in 34 countries across six continents found that they deliver a range of economic benefits. The study examined more than 50 protected areas to find that MPAs boosted fishing and tourism, with profits in some regions reaching billions of dollars.

“Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the multiple benefits of effective MPAs; government red tape makes them difficult to establish; and they often aren’t designed with proper business plans,” said Rechberger. 

“One of the greatest myths about Marine Protected Areas is that they solely benefit ocean biodiversity at the expense of jobs and income. Revive Our Ocean will reveal how MPAs can power regenerative business – businesses that restore nature – proving that conservation and economic prosperity can go hand in hand.

“It’s time for the world to recognise that MPAs are the building blocks of the blue economy.”

This new approach connects directly with the urgent message of the upcoming feature film, Ocean with David Attenborough, underscoring the need for immediate, large-scale action to safeguard our ocean’s future. 

As one of the co-producers of the film, Revive Our Ocean builds on the hope and inspiration of the feature film by providing a clear, practical blueprint for ocean restoration. 

Ocean with David Attenborough will have its world premiere in London on May 6 2025, coinciding with Sir David’s 99th birthday before being released in cinemas in over 26 countries around the world from May 8 and a television release on National Geographic, Disney+, and HULU later this year.

In addition, Revive Our Ocean has produced a series of powerful, cinematic short films to accompany the campaign’s rollout, illustrating the transformative impact of MPAs through real-world success stories and compelling testimonies. The films will serve as advocacy tools to drive momentum for MPA expansion and will screen globally in the coming months, including this June at the Blue Economy Forum in Monaco and the UN Ocean Conference in Nice.

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